Filling apparatus for storage-battery jars, &amp;c.



T. A. EDISON. FILLING APPARATUS EORSTORAGE BATTERY JARS, 6w.

APPLICATION FILED DEG.10,1903.

Patented Sept. 15, 1908.

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THOMAS AJEDISON, OF LLEWELLYN PARK, ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TOEDISON STORAGE BATTERY COMPANY, OF WEST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, ACORPORATION OF N 11111 JERSEY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 15, 1908.

Application filed December 10, 1903. Serial No. 18%,691.

' from time to time as they become depleted,

due to evaporation or decom osition from gassing; but the device can eeffectively used in connection with other liquids than Water, and forfilling other receptacles than storage battery jars.

Heretofore, devices for the purpose have consisted generally of funnelsprovided with floats for giving a visual indication when the properlevel is reached, but such devices have een practically objectionable ina numberof. respects. In the first place, the liquid flows very slowlysince the pressure is extremely slight, and this objection is increasedwhen the indicating devices are arranged within and partially obstructthe exit pipe or tube from the funnel. Furthermore, the use of a fioatindicator is unreliable and uncertain, while the index used isnecessarilysmall and its movements are likely to be unobserved. Finally,the prior devices are more or less bulky, and hence can not beconveniently used for filling storage battery jars when the latter arein position in the bodies of automobiles.

The object of my present invention is to provide an apparatus for thepurpose which shall be very simple and compact, by means of which theliquid may be introduced very rapidly, and wherein a very certainaccurate notification will be given when the liquid has reached thedesired level in the receptacle.

-In order that the invention may be better understood, attention isdirected to the accompanying drawings forming a part of thisspecification and in which,

Figure 1 is a vertical section on line 1-1 of Fig. 2 of a fillingapparatus embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a front elevation of thesame; Fig. 3 is a section on line 3'3 of Fig. 1.

In all of the above views corresponding parts are represented by thesame numerals of reference.

The handle 1" is made of wood or rubber and is hollow and contains thesupply tube 2 the receptacle an leading from a suitable tank in whichthe liquid is contained. When the valve arrangement is such that thesupply of liquid is controlled by compressing andreleasing the tube 2,the latter should be made of rubber, but when a separate valve isemployed, a metal pipe may be used. In order to compress the rubber tube2 to control the flow of liquid therethrough, I make use of a yoke 3arranged to slide in ways out inthe side of the handle shown, andprovided with a central tongue 4 which projects through the handle andengages the tube as shown.

Bearing on the underside of the yoke 3 is a lever 5 pivoted between ears6 on a plate 7 (Fig. 1) and normally pressed downwards by a spring 8 asshown. By elevating the lever 8 as indicated in dotted lines, Fig. 1; itwill be obvious that the rubber tube will be uncompressed so as topermit a flow of liquid through the same. Communicating with the tube 2and leading out from the handle 1- is a pipe 9 made preferably of glasswhose intermediate portion is formed into a simple and well known formof injector as shown, comrising a suction chamber 11. This chamber has acontracted outlet in the form of an extension 12 which passes through aplug 13 carried by a bracket 14 secured to the handle 1 as shown. Thelug 13 fits in an opening in (l is formed with a channel in its side topermit of the escape of air from the receptacle as will be understood.Extending through the plug 13 is a suction pipe 16, the upper end ofwhich connects with the suction chamber 11. This suction pipe 16 ispreferably formed with a gooseneck 17 so as to offer a better indicationof the passage of air bubbles through it when in use. When the plug 13is inserted in positionin the opening in the receptacle to which theliquid is to be introduced, the lower end of the suction tube 16represents the level to which the liquid is to be supplied.

The operation of the device will be as follows :The lug 13 is insertedin the receptacle, and the ever 8 is elevated so as to permit the liquidto,fiow through the tube 2 into the discharge ipe 9 and thence throughthe sucartial vacuum in ence of these air bubbles passing-upwardlythrough the suction pipe offers a convenient and certain notification ofthe reaching of the right level of the liquid in the receptacle. It willof course be understood that the device may be modified in many respectswithout departing from the essential spirit of my invention whichconsists in so organizing the parts that the flow of liquid into thereceptacle to be filled creates a suction and causes air bubbles orliquid to be drawn upwardly from the surface of the liquid in thereceptacles when the level thereof reaches the desired point.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is I 1. In a filling apparatus, a supply pipehaving a suction chamber with a. contracted outlet, a suction pipe oftransparent material leading into sai chamber, the lower portion of saidsuction pipe being arranged substantially parallel to said supply pipe,substantially as set forth.

2. In a filling apparatus, a supply pipe.

having a suction chamber with a contracted outlet, a suction pipeleading into said cham-. ber, said suction pipe comprising a gooseneckof'transparent material and a lower portion arranged substantiallyparallel to said supply ipe, substantially as set forth.

3. In a fifiing apparatus, a supply pipe having a suction chamber with acontracted outlet, a suction pipe of transparent material leading intosaid chamber, and a plug, the lower portion of said suction plpe and ofsaid supply pipe passing through said plug,

in substanti parallelism to each other, substantially as set forth.

4. In a filling apparatus, a supply plpe having a suction chamber witha' contracted outlet, a suction pi e of transparent materlal leadinginto said 0 amber, the lower portion of said suction pipe being arrangedsubstan tially parallel to said supply pipe, and a flexible supply'tube.connected to t said supply ipe, substantlally as set forth.

5. In a ling apparatus, a supply pipe having a suction chamber with acontracted outlet, a suction pipe of transparent material leading intosaid chamber, t e lower portion of said suction pipe being arrangedsubstantially parallel to said supply pipe, 2. flexible supply tubeconnected to the inlet end of said supply ipe, and means for controllingthe flow of liquid through said supply pipe,

substantially as set forth.

This s ecification signed and witnessed this'Sth ay of Decr. 1903.

THOMAS A. EDISON. Witnesses:

FRANK L. DYER, HARRY G. WALTERS.

e inlet end of

